Direct answer

A server root typically contains startup scripts, server.properties, logs/, world saves and, on plugin servers, plugins/. Paper also generates config/paper-global.yml and paper-world-defaults.yml.

Recommended procedure

  1. Run a directory listing in the actual server working directory; do not assume your home folder is the server root.
  2. Find the active JAR path in the startup script, identify logs/latest.log and record the main world name from server.properties.
  3. On Paper, distinguish plugins/ plugin JARs from each plugin’s persistent data directory and from config/ core settings.
  4. Locate all dimensions, backups, databases and secret files before synchronizing or moving the server.

What to do next

Keep the runtime directory writeable only by the dedicated service user, and place archive backups outside the live world tree.

How to verify the result

Test a clean shutdown and restart and confirm logs, configuration, plugin data and world saves are unchanged.

Version and compatibility notes

Vanilla, Folia, Velocity, Fabric and Forge may use different directories. Never delete files simply because an online folder chart does not show them.

Official references

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